UK government targets 'Islamists' with new definition of extremism

The UK government has announced a contentious new definition of extremism but conceded that the wording is “non-statutory” and creates no new powers amid concerns it will target Muslim community and pro-Palestine advocacy organisations.

In a statement on Thursday, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities said the definition had been updated to respond to an “increased extremist threat since October 7 terror attacks in Israel”, citing an increase in reported antisemitic and anti-Muslim hate crimes.

It said the new definition would be used by government departments and officials to help them decide which groups they should engage with and fund, and to identify “extremist organisations, individuals and behaviours”.

But it said: “This definition is not statutory and has no effect on the existing criminal law – it applies to the operations of Government itself.”

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